Stoltenberg meets Serbian president and Kosovo prime minister during escalating conflict

Brussels (Belgium), Aug 17 (EFE) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday urged Serbia and Kosovo to de-escalate tensions and not fuel an escalation of violence following the blockades of border crossings in Kosovo in late July, while recalling that the NATO peacekeeping operation in Kosovo (KFOR) is ready to act if necessary.

Stoltenberg held separate meetings on Wednesday with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in the first of two days of talks between the two leaders in Brussels to seek a solution to recent tensions, exacerbated by the announcement of the implementation of a ban on the use of Serbian identity cards and license plates on Kosovar territory.

Translation of the statements of the President of Serbia, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC:

"Tomorrow we will have a difficult meeting. We do not agree on almost nothing, but it is important to stress that Serbia will follow the international public law, to the UN resolution, the Brussels agreement..."

INCLUDES IMAGES PROVIDED BY NATO OF THE ARRIVAL AT ITS HEADQUARTERS IN BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) OF THE SERBIAN PRESIDENT, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC; AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF KOSOVO, ALBIN KURTI; AND OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE ATLANTIC ALLIANCE, JENS STOLTENBERG; VUCIC; AND KURTI.